NATIONAL CENTER

FOR

AUTOMATED INFORMATION RESEARCH

Incorporated Under The New York State Education Law

SUITE 1B 165 EAST 72ND STREET NEW YORK, NY 10021-4335 (212) 249-0760

Working to Make Technology Available to the Professions to Assist them in Serving the Public

NCAIR'S PURPOSES

NCAIR, a non-profit, educational corporation chartered by the State of New York, has been actively engaged in the study and application of technology to the legal and accounting professions since 1966.

The purposes of NCAIR are:

• To study modern methods of research and information retrieval;

• To educate the professions in these methods; and

• To further the development and availability of these methods so that the practice of the professions may be conducted with the competence and skill which will enhance their usefulness to the public and promote the administration of justice.

NCAIR AT A GLANCE

NCAIR's Board of Trustees consists of prominent attorneys, accountants, judges, and educators from throughout the nation, who are dedicated to advancing NCAIR 's purposes.

The trustees volunteer their time and skills for the benefit of their professions and the public, and professional consultants work with the trustees to accomplish NCAIR's goals. NCAIR has also been supported by royalties, as well as contributions received periodically from lawyers and accountants and the interested public.

RESEARCH SYSTEMS IN THE PROFESSIONS

The 20th century has witnessed the birth of the age of information. Since the turn of the century, there has been a proliferation of judicial opinions, statutes and regulations, as well as related secondary materials such as treatises, law reviews and periodicals. Today these materials comprise many millions of documents, and their number is ever increasing. Traditional methods of research proved inadequate to permit ready access to this vast accumulation. Modern computer technology, however, provides an economical means for remarkably efficient and accurate research.

NCAIR has served as a leader in the development of reliable computer assisted research systems for the legal and accounting professions. As a representative of the professions and on behalf of the public, NCAIR supported and assisted in the development of LEXIS, the first viable computer assisted research system. Under a unique agreement between NCAIR and Mead Data Central, NCAIR--consistent with the terms of its charter--sponsored and monitored the performance of the LEXIS Federal libraries. It continues to develop and disseminate new applications of computer assisted research systems.

NCAIR has funded projects to stimulate creation and improvement of curriculum materials and teaching techniques at law, accounting and business schools to promote innovative and fuller use of computer assisted research systems.

NCAIR PROGRAMS

Under its charter NCAIR has undertaken far-reaching commitments and responsibilities. With the help of its trustees and other dedicated volunteers, NCAIR has:

• Sponsored educational conferences.

• Assisted in defining the contents and structure of the electronic libraries utilized by the legal and accounting professions.

• Gathered, assessed and disseminated information relating to computer assisted research to a significant number of lawyers and accountants.

In recent program initiatives, NCAIR:

• Conducted the NCAIR Conference on Electronic Publishing Standards and Formats to consider standardized formats for electronic publishing of legal and accounting information, using CD ROMs as a focus. Conference co-sponsors with NCAIR included: Commerce Clearing House, Inc., Matthew Bender & Company, Inc., Maxwell Macmillan Professional & Business Reference Publishing, Mead Data Central, Tax Analysts and Thompson Professional Publishing, Electronic Publishing Division.

• Provided a five year grant to EDUCOM in support of its Higher Education Software Awards Program to encourage the development of quality law and accounting software for use in higher education. Best of category awards are named for NCAIR founding member Weston Vernon, Jr.; distinguished awards in the two fields carry NCAIR's name. The competition will alternate annually between Law and Accounting.

• Awarded the first David l. Dixon Fellowship, named for a Chairman and President of NCAIR, to former Cornell Law School Dean, Peter W. Martin, to create a full electronic treatise and library in the field of social security law, using hypertext to create a prototype on CD ROM that represents a more powerful way to communicate legal expertise to the profession.

THE LONG RANGE

NCAIR's financial independence and organizational experience permit long-range planning for the benefit of the professions and the public.

NCAIR funds grants, and from time to time directly sponsors programs, that further its charter purposes. For the foreseeable future, NCAIR will:

• Support innovative research and development of new techniques for storing and retrieving information; artificial intelligence, including expert systems; and electronic communications and publishing, as well as the application of new technology to all such areas.

• Convene meetings of acknowledged scholars and experts to identify opportunities for research and development support, and to educate NCAIR's trustees and interested members of the profession and the academic community.

• Encourage continuing development of curriculum and techniques in support of creative teaching and uses of computer assisted research systems and other applications of technology at professional schools, in the practice of law and accountancy and in the administration of justice.

NCAIR

The National Center for Automated Information Research is incorporated under the New York State Education Law and Is a bx exempt organization described in sec. 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

A copy of NCAlR's last annual report filed with the New York State Department of State may be obtained by writing to:

National Center for Automated Information Research

Suite IB

165 East 72nd Street

New York, NY 10021-4335

(212) 249-0760

or

New York State

Department of State

Office of Charities Registration

Albany, NY 12231

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